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Thursday, September 15, 2016

Back to school picnic is next week and it is an opportunity to sign up for various PTA sponsored events.
One favorite event is the Capitol Hill Art Show - which is held in early April and features multiple pieces of art from EVERY student who attend CH! The halls are filled with colorful, imaginative and skillful art produced by the students through their arts tax funded program.
The art is displayed for a few weeks and we host an Opening Reception/Celebration the night of April 6th.
But- to put on this show take significant effort by a dedicated team of parents. Please look for the Art Show table at the back-to-school picnic and consider being a grade level leader.
This is a great opportunity to meet other parents and affirm the efforts and growth of our students, your children.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Last spring a group of K-5 art teachers worked beyond our teaching day to articulate and begin to build the curricular infrastructure for the K-5 Arts Tax funded classrooms (such as ours at CapitolHill.). An overarching philosophy and goals were written. As we start the the school year, I thought you might like to begin by being oriented to our frame of reference.

The visual arts program in Portland Public Schools (PPS) focuses on providing a safe space for all students to create art in a variety of media. The program facilitates student success regardless of differences in cultures, backgrounds, and learning styles, honoring the PPS Equity Policy. Through the art-making process and by sharing and responding to art, students discover and express their personal viewpoints. In studio practice and reflection, students develop critical and creative thinking skills and become innovators who see challenges as opportunities. Active engagement in the visual arts inspires lifelong learning, fosters a student’s sense of self, as well as cultivates a connection to the world around them.

Our K-5 goal is to ready students to continue their visual arts education through middle school and high school. When students are confident, feel competent and personally connected to art, they are more likely to choose to broaden and deepen their visual arts education.

ThePPS K-5 Standards and Objectives (K-2 and 3-5)provide a framework and a common language for visual arts teachers when planning and deepening their teaching practice. The National Core Art Standards were the foundation for these documents.

About Me

I have taught in the Portland area since the early 1990's and earlier in the mid-west of Wisconsin. I have been awarded the "Sunburst Award" for Artistic Excellence in Enhancing Young People’s Education - from Young Audiences. In 2012 I was honored with "Art Educator of the Year" - Elementary level, by Oregon Art Education Association.
I earned my BA from Carleton College, my MFA from University of Wisconsin-Madison and my MAT from Lewis and Clark College.